Colors
by leighB26
Summary: Ezra Fitz wasn't one to observe trivial details. When he looked back on events, he liked to remember the way he felt, the things he did. He never paid much attention to the way things looked. To him, looks were insignificant parts to a bigger story. Ezria ONE-SHOT


_Purple_

Ezra Fitz wasn't one to observe trivial details. When he looked back on events, he liked to remember the way he felt, the things he did. He never paid much attention to the way things looked. To him, looks were insignificant parts to a bigger story. Wasting time on things that had no impact on the way things turned out seemed pointless. Everything good, everything worth paying attention to lived within the moments, the words, the touches.

He became a hypocrite of this mantra when he met Aria Montgomery, 20 years ago to the date. Every little thing about the moment he first laid eyes on the love of his life was permanently etched into his brain. He could recall her straight hair, the warmth of the first smile she gave him, the broken clock on the wall forever reading three past five. He remembered his first words to her were words of concern. He'd asked if she was alright. She responded that she was jetlagged. He was drinking Scotch and she was waiting on a cheeseburger- an order that now seemed ludicrous since she was a vegan.

Ezra had told the story of their first meeting maybe a thousand times. He told it to anyone who would listen. The story had been a part of his wedding vows to her and a nighttime favorite of their two daughters, Daisy and Audrey. As the years passed, Ezra wondered when he'd begin to forget the tinier details. He was sure that one day he'd forget the exact time the broken clock showed or the fact that he had worn a navy blue pullover. He didn't want those things to slip his mind, but he was sure that someday, they would. Although, the one small detail Ezra prayed he would never forget, was the color of the dress Aria had worn.

Aria had donned a little purple dress that afternoon. Back then, Ezra had thought that the color looked nice on her and that it brought out her hazel eyes. He would've never imagined that one day he'd be whispering in her ear in a Victoria's Secret dressing room, as Aria tried on lingerie and teased Ezra relentlessly with nip slips, that purple was his favorite color on her. He had no clue that their first born child's room would be painted in a pastel purple or that he'd engage Aria in a heavy make out session on the nursery floor after she'd taken her wet brush and run it across his cheek. He had no way of knowing that purple would be one of the colors she chose for their wedding or that it would be the hue of bikini Aria would "lose" in the Jacuzzi tub in their honeymoon suite. No, back then Ezra had no clue that the woman in the purple dress that attracted his attention would one day become his world.

Ezra knew that Aria had held onto the dress, even though she claimed that she couldn't fit into it after the birth of their son, Logan. She claimed she'd give it to one of their daughters, once they were big enough. Daisy was almost 11 and Audrey was nearing 8. They still had a way to go before they would fit into their mother's dress, and who knew if they'd even want to wear such an "outdated" thing. But Ezra had a hunch that at least one of the girls would humor their mom by trying it on. After all, both little girls shared their parent's love for the color purple.

 _Red_

She'd stained his sheets. Dots of red seeped through the beige sheets, appearing almost brown. The heat rose in Aria's cheeks when she saw the mess she'd made. She stuttered an apology to an amused and perfectly content Ezra. It was almost as if she hadn't expected him to see this coming. When she fell silent, Ezra pulled her flush against his body and assured her that he wasn't angry or disgusted. What had just happened between them had been so natural and so right, that the result of stained sheets was like a commemorative statement. It was cheesy, but it got her to smile.

The stain didn't come out in the wash, but Ezra hadn't necessarily wanted it to. Every time he saw it, it reminded him of their first night of love making. He remembered her nervousness and his apprehension to hurting her. The images of her cheeks, flushed from her very first orgasm, and the way her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath after riding out her high came back to him with each glimpse of the dots.

The couple spent most of their summer in between the sheets and on top of the soiled linen learning about each other's bodies and experimenting with their own pleasure. Ezra learned that Aria loved having her hair pulled and being bitten. As a result, Ezra found himself enjoying doing both of those things to her. When she had a little alcohol in her system, she liked it rough. When she was completely sober, she wanted a slower, more passionate approach. After every round, Ezra found himself more and more thankful for that little red stain, because without it, he would've never gotten to know Aria better than any men ever had during those few months.

When things got rocky between them, Ezra looked to the stain for comfort. It was odd, and admittedly, maybe a little bit perverted, but it helped. It reminded him of a happier time with her. A time without a supposed kids or true-crime novels. A time before the dollhouse and college. A time when time was on their side and no one could come between them.

He left the sheets behind when he went to Thailand, knowing they'd be waiting for him when he returned. At first, they proved to be his only solace aside from alcohol upon his return, but over time, all they caused him was pain. He missed Aria more than he could say. Even if she wasn't his lover anymore, he wanted her to be his friend. Any sane person would've gotten rid of them. Burned them even. But Ezra couldn't. He clung to them the way a child would cling to a security blanket. What she left behind years ago became his safe haven.

He parted with the sheets the day he left Rosewood to join Aria in Boston. She already had sheets on her bed and wouldn't be needing his. He supposed that it was a good thing. The sheets were worn, holes were appearing and the ends were fraying. But the departure was bittersweet. It was like he was throwing away what he once had with Aria to begin to form something new, and something better with her.

Years later, Aria's blood stained their sheets again. It happened in the middle of the night without any warning. The phenomenon was followed by desperate pleas and sobs louder than Ezra had ever heard escape her lips. Ezra had pried Aria from the bed to take her to the ER where they spent the remainder of the night.

When they returned home the next morning, Ezra stripped the bed of the sheets, tearing up when he saw the jagged circle of blood again, while Aria laid on the couch, silent and empty. He tossed the sheets into a trash bag and carried them down to the street. Unlike the last stain, this was one Ezra would rather not see again.

 _Yellow_

If there was one sight Ezra loved seeing more than Aria naked, it was Aria in one of his t-shirts. He wasn't sure why. There was just something about that woman wearing his clothes that drove him insane.

She had her favorite shirt of his. It was a yellow one that he had gotten for free when he was attending Hollis. Ezra never understood why _that_ one was her favorite. As far as he knew, she wasn't even that fond of the color yellow, yet she found herself in it almost every night.

She made sure she always packed it in her suitcase when they went on trips and Ezra often saw her wearing it during their FaceTime calls when she was away on business.

When he asked her what it was about that particular shirt that she loved, she could never give him a sufficient answer. She would just sing song something about feeling close to him and loving his scent, though Ezra knew that after so many years, the shirt began to smell like her skin instead of his.

Sometimes he would play tricks on her by hiding the shirt and watching her go crazy searching for it. Aria reminded him of a kid who lost their teddy bear when she couldn't find the shirt. He always got a good laugh, and often times, a good punch to the bicep and an unfulfilled promise of not "getting any" for a week, when he decided to mess with her.

Eventually, Ezra shared Aria's love for the shirt, but for an entirely different reason. Aria had been wearing the shirt when they found out that she was pregnant with Daisy. And instead of buying maternity pajamas, Aria opted to wear the Hollis shirt to save $40. For nine months, Ezra watched the bump beneath that yellow shirt grow, falling more and more in love with his daughter- and her mother- each day.

Not surprisingly, Aria had on the shirt when her water broke one evening in October of 2019. And had it not been against hospital rules, Ezra was certain that Aria would've given birth in it too.

Almost 11 years had passed since that day, and Aria hardly wore the shirt anymore. It stayed neatly folded in the back of her underwear drawer, collecting dust. Ezra missed seeing her in it. He missed the way she used to sway back and forth in it as she made breakfast for the two of them. He missed how she used to freak out when she couldn't find it. He missed not understanding why she loved it so much. To this day, Ezra still didn't fully understand.

Aria dismissed her negligence towards the shirt as a price she paid when it came to motherhood. When she had babies in the house, she didn't want them spitting up on a shirt she cherished so much. Now that all three kids are older, she knows its inappropriate to walk around the house in just a t-shirt. Though, she teases Ezra with the promise that she'll start wearing it again once all three kids are out of the house. "When I'm old and gray," She says.

 _Black_

The news had been like a bullet to the heart.

It didn't seem right that just 3 hours ago, Wesley had been alive and well, talking with Ezra on the phone about coming down to visit the two of them and their brand new baby girl, and now he was dead.

The call came while the little family sat at the dinner table. Aria was breastfeeding Daisy, admiring her daughter's features and making small talk with Ezra about his day as he ate. He'd offered to wait for her to finished feeding the baby before digging in, but she'd insisted. Daisy would fall right back asleep when she was done and Aria wanted them to experience time at the table with all parties awake.

They had a rule about taking phone calls during dinner, but when the same number called his phone for the third time in a row, Ezra decided that he better take it. Expecting it to be a wrong number, Ezra remained seated, flashing a smile at the loves of his life. When it turned out to be a call about his now deceased brother, Ezra quickly excused himself from the table and locked himself in the master bedroom.

He couldn't bring himself to stand or even tell Aria what had happened for an hour. Once he broke the news to his wife, she too, collapsed into a pool of tears.

Wesley's funeral service was held in New York that following Friday. It rained all day, something so cliché yet so fitting for the occasion. The little family wore all black like every other guest in attendance. Aria did her best to balance comforting her husband and taking care of her new born who was cranky from the travelling and agitated from the loud claps of thunder that interrupted her sleep. Ezra appreciated her efforts, but had wished she'd only tend to Daisy and leave him alone. He had enough people telling him how sorry they were for his loss; he didn't need Aria telling him every 5 minutes too.

On the way to the reception, Aria tried to offer up some encouraging words to sooth her husbands pain. Only, instead of making him feel better, she made him angry. He snapped, slamming on the breaks as he yelled, momentarily forgetting about their daughter in the back seat. He watched Aria jump in surprise, and then immediately turn to make sure Daisy was alright. Luckily, the baby, who'd fallen asleep the minute they left the cemetery, was still sleeping like a rock. By the time Ezra realized what he'd done, an apology wouldn't fix the situation. Aria glared at Ezra, her eyes glassy and full of water, before turning to face the road and clamping her lips shut.

When they arrived at the recreation center where they were hosting Wes's reception, Aria jumped out of the car, gathered Daisy and her things, and disappeared into the building before Ezra could even get himself out of the car.

The two didn't reappear until the end of the reception. Aria plastered a smile on her face as Ezra's relatives complimented their daughter and said their goodbyes. For a moment Ezra thought Aria might have gotten over what happened in the car. But the icy glare she shot him when no one was looking debunked that theory in a heartbeat. He knew he was in the wrong. She had done nothing but try to help him all day. It was his problem for finding fault in that. It wouldn't be the first time in his life that he let his anger get the best of him. Now, a part of him feared losing his brother and his wife all in one day.

 _Blue_

Aria suffered from panic attacks. She suffered from insomnia. She suffered from night terrors. She suffered _because_ of A.

She'd tried to hide it from Ezra when they got back together after five long years a part. She told him that she'd put the past behind her. She said the therapy had worked and that she didn't need it anymore. She explained that the medication she took was just a precaution, to prevent any set backs.

Her lies fell a part once they began living together. Ezra noticed that she would get out of bed at night and pace around the apartment. He could feel her presence return just before the alarm went off and he could see the tiredness in her eyes when she tried to pretend she'd slept soundly all night.

The first blackout they spent together revealed her panic attacks. When Ezra had gone to find flashlights, Aria curled up into a ball in the corner and began to hyper ventilate. She cried and begged Ezra to leave. She kept saying that she didn't want him to see her that way, so vulnerable and weak. But Ezra didn't budge. He placed a flashlight face up in the middle of the room, giving the room a soft glow, and took a seat next to his girlfriend in the corner. He pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back, gently hushing her as he did so.

It took Aria over an hour to settle down. Her body slowly stopped shaking and she gained control of her breathing, but Ezra continued to hold her until the lights came back on. When they did, he saw the blue streaks her mascara left on her cheeks and her embarrassed smile. She began to apologize, but he stopped her. He told her that there was no reason to say she was sorry. He assured her that he'd always be there for her, no matter what. 12 years since he made that promise and he hasn't broken it once.

 _Green_

The woman at the store had told him that emeralds were a rare gemstone. She said that they were commonly thought to preserve love and youth. Ezra hoped that Aria hadn't heard otherwise.

He sat on their bed, staring at the gold band with the emerald perched on top and sighed. 20 years of loving her, 11 years of marriage, and 3 kids later, Ezra still had no idea what kinds of gifts would suffice for their anniversary. He didn't want to come across as cheap and go with the classic card and flowers. But he didn't want to be scolded for spending too much. He wanted her to love it, but didn't want to make her feel inferior with her gift. According to her, buying for a man was a lot harder than buying for a woman.

The crack underneath the bathroom door went from lit to dark and Ezra hurriedly stuck the ring box in his pocket, not wanting to ruin the surprise.

He felt his breath catch in his throat when Aria opened the door. All these years and the woman could still take his breath away. She wore a flattering purple dress, that accentuated all of her best assets, and her hair framed her face perfectly. And though Ezra thought she looked stunning in her outfit, he felt the sudden urge to rid her of her dress of and shower her with affection.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Aria smirked, noticing her husbands stare.

Ezra laughed, "The…the kids aren't going to be home tonight, right?"

Aria walked past him to retrieve her purse from the closet, "Right. Daisy is at Emma's. Audrey's at Ava's. And Logan's at Daniel's."

Ezra stood from his place on the bed and sauntered over to Aria, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "Good. Then we can be as loud as we want tonight."

Aria laughed, leaning back onto his chest, "Slow down there, tiger. We've still got dinner reservations." 

"We could cancel," Ezra teased.

"No way. I want to give you your present in a fancier setting than the bedroom when it smells of sex. It deserves better," Aria pulled away.

Ezra couldn't help but to smile at her in response. He was so helplessly in love with the woman before him. In his opinion, he was the luckiest man in he world to have her. Without Aria, he wouldn't have the three most wonderful children in the world. Without Aria, he wouldn't have known that real, true, unconditional love existed. Without Aria, he wouldn't have learned to appreciate the details. Because in reality, those tiny details were the things that truly mattered. Those details took his black and white life and made it colorful.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought by reviewing. I love reading what you guys have to say! Also, if you enjoyed this, I encourage you to check out my multi-chapter story "Rumor Has It". This was my first one shot and I plan to write many more! This was fun. For those of you who are currently reading "Rumor Has It", I plan on updating either tomorrow or Friday. I sat down to write the next chapter, but this happened instead. Oops! Anyway, I hope you guys liked it!**

 **-Erin xoxo**


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